The Forbidden Game IV: The Shaddow Queen
by Ruthless
Summary: After returning from the Shadow World and breaking up with Tom, Jenny begins to go through some changes. Julian is back, too.
1. Chapter 1

**THE FORBIDDEN GAME 4:**

**THE SHADDOW QUEEN**

Disclaimer: _Fan_fiction says it all, I believe.

Setting: 5 months after _The Kill_

Jenny spun the ring Julian had given her around on her finger, her eyes downcast. Julian had defiantly changed her, changed them all. She never would have had the courage to do this before the shadow man gave his life for her. Actually, Jenny had to admit she wouldn't have even thought of doing this before Julian.

"I don't think we really have a future together, Tom. Not after what happened in the shadow world."

Tom turned his head away so Jenny couldn't make out his expression, "Irony really bites, doesn't it. I was just about to say the same thing. You've just saved me the trouble of finding a time."

As Tom said that, the lump in Jenny's throat dissolved, "We can still be friends then?" Jenny asked, quietly.

"Course Jenny," Tom said, tilting his head back for one final kiss. With tears pouring down her face Jenny granted his wish and the Tom-Jenny unit ceased to be one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When Jenny got out of the shower her eyes where drawn to her reflection. Since she had broken up with Tom two days ago her skin had started to pale quite dramatically.

Whenever she thought of Julian, it was like her throat got a roadblock and she couldn't speak for several minutes afterwards. This happened quite often as almost every night since returning Jenny found herself dreaming of him.

_Jenny was so close to the rune stave. A part of her said reach out, grab it but another pat that was far wiser then both her conscious and sleeping mind combined, understood that there was nothing she could do._

_Time seemed to slow as the crocodile-skinned Shadow Man raised his hand to slash at Julian's name._

_But instead, he held it out to her "Would you like to awaken your prince, my queen?"_

Jenny jerked, as her back touched the cold bathroom wall. Must have fallen asleep on my feet, she concluded. But even in a dream, why would the wrath hand it to me?

A memory rose in her mind. The old man wrath saying, "Will you come with us? We can carry you" and then saying it later on, in real life. A chill rose through Jenny, and a part of her shoved it aside. It would be impossible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Jenny walked into the diner where she had arranged to met Tom, Dee and Zach. What she hadn't expected was for the rest of the gang to be there but they where. Two tables had been pushed together to accommodate for the size of the party and Zach was sitting beside Summer, holding her hand.

Tom looked up as he heard the door swing open and gasped, "Jenny, you're as white as the devil himself."

"Why do you insist on slagging Julian off as evil when in the end, he did more then you ever could?" Jenny said coldly. Lately, she had been feeling protective towards Julian's memory. Then she caught sight of the look on Tom's face and mentally winced, as gilt rose in her chest. She wanted to race over and hug him to make it up but couldn't, "Sorry. It's just my being under the weather. I'll make it up to you with a pizza once I've been to the loo."

Jenny crossed the room and pushed open the door looking around to try and throw off the feeling of being watched but with no success. As she stepped into the cubical there was a ripping sound and a gorilla-like hand darted out, grabbed her and pulled her through a rip in the air.

The g-force style resistance was enough to keep Jenny from falling flat on her face as she crossed over the border, but she still wavered on her feet and the Shadow Man held her shoulder to make sure she didn't fall. Once he was certain Jenny wasn't going down, he drew a rune in the air to seal the rip.

The Shadow Man that resembled a withered foetus stepped out of the darkness in front of Jenny, "You wonder why we have brought you here?"

Sounding a whole lot more confident then she actually was Jenny looked the Shadow Man in the eye, "I think I'd be a fool not to wonder so yes, I would like to know."

The crocodile-skinned Shadow Man stepped forward, and Jenny felt a block of ice slide into her chest. He was holding a blank rune stave, "We have summoned you here to ask if you would like to awaken your prince, my queen. I can take you to a place that would be more comfortable." As he said this he extended his hand and nervously Jenny took it.

Before Jenny y could so much as blink, they were in the cavern that Jenny had woke up in when Julian rescued her. Then it had been filed with warmth but now, it was so cold, so empty without Julian standing at her side to breathe life into her.

"Here," the old man said, thrusting the stave and a knife into Jenny's hand. "I can feel that you know the runes of Julian's name. His birth rune is Dagaz, the catalyst. There is no need to stain the runes but you probably already know that as well."

With a trembling hand Jenny raised the knife, not allowing herself a chance to dwell on the way crocodile-eyes addressed her. After taking a few deep breaths Jenny started to carve. She inscribed Jera, Uruz, Laguz, Isa, Ansuz and Nauthiz and on the top of the stave Dagaz. Then she said out loud the anagram that the runes formed, "J U L I A N."

The runes began to spin around the top of the stave and a deep, strong ice-white light burst out of the end of the stave. Shadows from all around the cavern raced towards it, solidifying as they made contact with one another. The light grew brighter and brighter until Jenny had to shut her eyes against it. When she reopened them Julian was lying in the middle of the cavern wearing black leather like a second skin, and looking just as beautiful as memory had portrayed him.

Julian sat up, groaning and shaking his head to clear to clear it, and then he looked around. When his eyes fell upon Jenny his mouth dropped open in shock at how bad she looked. Jenny shot to her feet with total disregard for her current condition and paid the price as a wave of vertigo rushed to embrace her, and she fainted.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Julian bolted to his feet, ignoring the white lights that flashed in front of his eyes as a consequence for moving so rapidly, and bolted over to Jenny. When returning the ring to her, he hadn't thought of what would happen if she ever broke up with Tom, simply because he hadn't believed it possible.

As gently as possible, Julian took Jenny's hand and placed his fingers on her wrist, checking for a pulse, "Come on Jenny, wake up." Without knowing why, he was whispering.

Slowly, Jenny opened her eyes. Her lids felt _so_ heavy. She heard a chocked sob and looked up. There crouched above her was a man, and he looked, to her, to be the most beautiful man that she had ever seen.

"Oh, Jenny its all my fault." He whispered, wiping tears from his face.

The name sounded so familiar, yet she couldn't quite place it, because her mind was starting to shut down. She was so tired. Did this Jenny know how lucky she was to have such a handsome man crying just because she wasn't here?

"Don't go to sleep. Stay with me girl, come on you can do it."

She tried to open her mouth, to tell him it would be impossible but she didn't even have the strength to do that. After several failed attempts she gave in to the heavy warmth that was blanketing her, and fell asleep.

Julian tossed back his head and yelled, "Darg!"

The old Shadow Man appeared in front of Julian, "What do you want for Ju'an? You have your existence and your chosen is now a Shadow Woman. Of course for how long is debatable."

Shaking with fury Julian bit his tongue. It would not do well for Jenny's chances of survival if he were to lash out at his elder. Once he had had himself back under control he spoke, "Darg please help me. Help us." Julian griped Jenny's hand even tighter, willing here not to fade.

Sighing Darg shook his head, "Ju'an, Ju'an, Ju'an. I swear my soft spot for you will be my undoing. You understand what you ask?"

"Don't play the idiot Darg. I know the only thing that can be done now."

Darg reached into the shadows and drew out a blank rune stave, "What would you offer in return for this?"

"My offer is that I will make no move against those I swore to destroy when my name was removed."

Darg held out the stave, "If it were anyone else I'd slap them around the head for being so foolish. As things stand I should keep this, just to teach you your place." Then he thrust the stave into Julian's hand, as though it were contaminated, "Chose her birth rune well," he intoned before stepping into the darkest part of the cavern and fading from sight.

Julian slid the knife from between Jenny's cold fingers and started to carve. There was no debate over Jenny's birth rune. It was Gebo. (AN. I'd tell you the other runes but I don't know them.)

Once Julian was finished he placed his fingers on her wrist. A few moments ago it had been weak and threading but now it was rabidly gaining strength.

Julian sighed as he removed his rune stave from Jenny's grasp. Well, now there was only one thing that could defeat her and he would go out of his way to make sure that never happened.

He then threw the staves into the air and flicking his fingers, watched them speed off, before settling himself down at Jenny's side to wait for her to come round.

Inside of half an hour (which was 30 minutes to long for Julian's taste) Jenny opened her eyes. After allowing her a few minutes to get orientated Julian took her hand in his. He knew he was shaking; yet he also knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Jenny smiled up at him, "Hello handsome. Didn't think I'd be seeing you again. So soon anyway."

Julian gave Jenny a wolfish grin, "Do me a favour and quit it with the almost dying whenever you and I are in the same room, hmm?"

"I'll do my best but I can't make any promises."

The wolfish grin dropped, to reveal a slightly more nervous expression, "What do you remember from tonight?"

"Not that much. Coming here, and that's about it. Why?"

Julian felt the tension drop from his posture as Jenny said this, "I'll take you back through, just as soon as you feel up to it. Going through that veil generally takes a lot out of people."

"You'll stay with me?" Jenny burst out, hopping she didn't sound as desperate as she thought she did. She didn't want to entertain the thought of returning without him.

"Jenny, you're an idiot. As long as you need me, and even when you don't I will never leave you."

"Well, good. You've owed it to me ever since you chased me with those U. F. O's. It may have shown how desperate you were, but I was seriously not impressed. But be warned, Mr," she said, stabbing a finger into Julian's chest as she did so, "if you ever leave me for someone else you wont have to worry about your ancestors killing you, because they're going to have to dig you up."

_I wonder if you'll still be so eager to keep me when you know the truth. _Julian involuntarily glanced towards where the staves were.

"Let's go now. I want to get out of here," Jenny said, as she stood up. A few moments ago standing at that speed would have made her need to sit back down again. _Must be getting better, _Jenny thought, and not without some relief then she grinned at Julian, "This may be your home, but it gives me the creeps."

Julian drew a rune in the air and a rip appeared, but before they could step through it Darg flashed between them and the rip.

Jenny latched onto Julian's' hand, her heart pounding wildly but Darg ignored her and spoke directly to Julian, "This is the penalty of your prior actions. Until we see fit to call you, you are forbidden to set foot in Niflheim again. Understood?"

Julian nodded and Darg flashed out, leaving them alone. Julian turned to Jenny, "Do you mind letting go of my hand? Preferably before you amputate it."

"I was not scared, " Jenny, said, heat rising in her face.

"Oh, really, " Julian rose his hand, "I've got marks that state the exact opposite."

Indeed, when Jenny looked closer she could see four deep half-moon cuts that were already filling with crimson.

Without allowing another word on the matter Jenny stepped through the rip, dragging Julian after her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It had been two days since Julian had left the Realm of Shadows for what could quite easily have been for the last time, and in spite of Jenny's reservations, those two days had passed with comparative ease.

There would probably be a couple more days of taking it easy, too, before her parents got back.

Which was good, because she currently had no idea how she was going to explain to them how, over the period length of their holiday, a guy had come to move in with her. She could only imagine what they would think, even thought it most certainly wouldn't be true.

It was even more likely to be their first thought when she explained that there was no possible way that she could let him move out.

There had been no word from the rest of the Gang. Not even Dee had been in touch.

But that probably wasn't surprising, considering that she hadn't gone back to the diner on the day that she had been collected. They probably thought that she'd just blown them off. And the truth was, it wouldn't have been the first time that she had, since they'd finally escaped from the game for good.

There was something that just wouldn't ever be what it once was between them.

Some times, the people that were meant to have been her best friends seemed like nothing more, and nothing less, than complete strangers.

Of course, none of that seemed as though it mattered now.

Since she had came back through to the Earth Realm, everything seemed new.

She was seeing flashes of colors that she'd never noticed before, surrounding random people on the streets. She was hearing sounds that she would have never though could have existed, strange in-between sounds. She could remember everything that she had dreamed.

And the final difference was that if she was separated from Julian for any length of time over ten minutes, or if she passed a certain distance from him, she began to feel physically sick. Once, she had tried to ignore it, and had would up vomiting before she finally gave in, and came back.

And when she had gotten back she had found Julian lying back on the couch, sweating, and shaking, and even whiter than usual. His eyes had lost that spark, and fire, and that had frightened her, even though it had came back as soon as she had placed her hand within his.

Truth be told, there was a lot about it that frightened her. She didn't understand what was going on. And she desperately wanted to know. But whenever she tried to bring the subject up with Julian, he turned away, and walked out of the room.

After a while she had decided that there was no point in even trying.

She had a feeling that when he thought the time was right, he would bring it up on his own.

And since he was the only one that might possibly know, she had no choice but to trust him.

That, however, didn't mean that she had to like it.


End file.
